Home is where the heart is
by Nifty-Knacks
Summary: A little drabble to work away from writer's block. Sweet, sorta fluffy USUK


_Author's note: _I got the prompt for this from thewritershelpers dot tumblr dot com /post/48773271682/random-prompt-time  
And to anyone who's wondering when they'll be seeing another chapter of Carb Free... I hate to tell you, I have no clue. I've been having writers block like you wouldn't believe (probably because of end of the school year stress) so set your sights for some time after May 10th.

* * *

It was damp out, dew still clinging to the decorative plants around the building. The concrete bench was wet, and therefore so wasn't the seat of my pants as I tugged my well-worn jacket closer to block out some of the cool air. Two hours to go and my coffee was long past steaming, now simply something to hold as I stare at the grass forcing itself up through the crack in the sidewalk. Why did everyone compare that to determination? I saw it as just nature. The grass was small enough to grow there, so it did. Sighing and leaning back against the rough stone of the building, I let myself glance over to the man beside me. The both of us were dressed pretty nice, even if I do say so myself. (And seriously, he looked nice… When _didn't _Arthur look nice in a well fit button up? That was my bright spot for the day.)

"Can you believe it's finally here?" he asked, noticing me looking towards him.

"Honestly? No. I know she's happy about it, but me… not so much… I mean-"

"No, hush. I know what you mean," he murmured, his voice carrying a tone that was much more soothing than his average. I'd heard more and more of that tone in the last few months. "It's a big change. You're allowed to wish things had been differently."

Nodding slowly, I sloshed my drink so that some splashed on the sidewalk, seeping into the crack around the grass. "Yeah… I just never thought… I know I've said it before, but I'll say it again. That was such… such a slap in the face."

"I know it was," he soothed again, now one hand clasping my shoulder in a comforting manner. "I know. But would you have wanted it to last…?"

That was the first time I'd heard him ask, though I know he'd been wondering all along these last few months. It took me far too long to come up with the words to answer, to convey my feelings to him. "I…" Another drawn out pause, the birds chirping and a car passing on the street the only things to hear. "I.. Kind of, yeah. Arthur, you know how I feel 'n all, but…I guess, I just put so much effort into it. And I wanted it to last. I wanted to have that perfect little family, picket fence, the whole nine yards."

"Nine yards is quite a lot."

He might've laughed, but I heard that catch in his voice. I leaned closer so that this would be more private, despite the lonely street, knowing if I didn't explain now he wouldn't believe me or he wouldn't understand. "Listen," I murmured, "I care about you… Arthur, you know I love you. But I still want all that. It's not that I want it with her, but it's what I want, I want it with you. It wouldn't be perfect without you."

It was the truth. I would rather wake up to burnt toast and runny eggs every morning in our cramped apartment, Arthur just a few feet away from the bed as he cooked in the outdated kitchen with the stove with only three working burners, a clock that ran slow, and a microwave who's door didn't always open than wake up alone. Alone, in that house, the fading smell of hair spray in the hall and the evidence that she'd made herself breakfast before she left. It had always been for show. The whole damn thing… But with Arthur it was the opposite. Rather than a relationship for show it was a relationship hidden. She knew, but wouldn't tell a soul. And I would rather have it hidden with someone I really did love. Someone who somehow made waking up to the steady drip of the shower in the bathroom, the peeling linoleum in the kitchen, and the fact that there was no designated bedroom, just our mattress in the corner of the living room worthwhile. And Arthur did all that to me and more. Some days I wondered. I wondered why he cared enough to help me pay for this divorce, and others I woke up to his sleepy expression as he kissed me good morning and I knew just what it was.

And I knew from the look on his face he wanted to call me a sentimental idiot. He was fighting back a smile, looking down as he took in my words. I'd said the right thing.

"Hey," I said suddenly. "Why don't we go get breakfast after this, and this evening we can get that popcorn, the stuff with all the extra butter, and I can sign up for that free Netflix trial. I don't have work tomorrow."

"Neither do I," he said with a gentle smile at the thought of our 'splurge' though it was far from the splurge either of us had been used to. That was alright. We would work it out.

After a moment Arthur stood, causing me to look up at him confusedly. "Come on. We've got another hour and a half, but I'm sure we can afford some McDonalds for breakfast."

Grinning, I got up right after him. Now that was something to look forward to. I was never awake early enough, or could never manage to spare those few extra dollars. And Arthur was well aware. I almost wondered if he hadn't planned that, trying to cheer me up a bit.

We walked side by side down the street after I dumped my coffee, and I considered the fact that even though it would be awhile before my savings amounted to anything amazing, maybe me and Arthur should scrape together a little more and move… After all, I didn't need a picket fence, or a dripping shower. Home is where the heart is, and Arthur had mine.


End file.
